'Prisons don't do what they say they do'

Around 100 people turned up to march alongside a prison reform group to protest against the growing number of prisoners at Mount Eden Corrections Facility.

The protest in Auckland started at 12pm at Aotea Square on Saturday and ended at Mt Eden Prison.

The group is demanding two changes: the repeal of the Bail Amendment Act 2013, which has led to an increase in prisoners being held without conviction, and a halt to the construction of a new facility at Waikeria Prison.

The protest was organised by No Pride in Prisons, anti-prison group (Newshub)

Hundreds of people protesting against the growing number of prisoners (Newshub)

No Pride in Prisons spokeswoman Emilie Rakete hopes the protest will put pressure on the Government to repeal the Bail Amendment Act and cancel the construction of the Waikeria Prison.

"Prisons don't do what they say they do," she says.

"Corrections says that prisons rehabilitate people, but the reality is that prisons are violent."

Protesters on Auckland's Symonds St (Dan Satherley/Newshub.)

But the Sensible Sentencing Trust is calling the protesters "dreamers" who "can't have it both ways".